Minister of state Ibe Kachikwu advises military on militants' attack

The minister of state for petroleum Ibe Kachikwu has advised the Nigerian military on how to handle militants and their activities in the Niger Delta region

The minister called on the military to engage the militants on social level
The minister of state for petroleum Ibe Kachikwu has advised the Nigerian military over activities of Niger Delta militants in the region.

Speaking to CNN television on Wednesday, October 5, Kachikwu said the military aside enforcing peace in the region, must engage the militants on social level.

He asked the military to see the militants more as friends and collaborators rather than threats to them.

Kachikwu further called on oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region to involve local residents in their activities.

The minister said, this will help protect oil assets in the region. “The third (solution) obviously is that the criminal elements among the militants would have to be identified and obviously taken out so that the honest militants who believe in the fight itself can then be engaged in a very much buoyant way,” Kachikwu said.

He added that economics and development is also paramount to militancy and must be given due consideration.

“We have got to find a way in which both from poles of distribution of the resources and infrastructure that is going on, we are seen as a nation to be fair and focused,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister had expressed optimism that the militancy in the Niger Delta region will soon come to an end.

Kachikwu said the recent increase in militant attacks in the region has posed a major problem to Nigeria’s oil exports.

He said the attacks and bombing by the militants have pushed oil exportation to as low as 1.38 million from 2.1 million barrels per day in August.

Minister of state Ibe Kachikwu advises military on militants' attack
Reviewed by James chibueze
on
10:25 pm
Rating: 5